


Perfect Gift

by DeckofDragons



Series: 12 Days of Christmas 2019 [5]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: 12 Days of Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Gift Exchange, Spinel is a Crystal Gem AU, Spinel was never abandoned AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:48:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21846187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeckofDragons/pseuds/DeckofDragons
Summary: Steven isn't sure what to get Connie for Christmas. He asks Spinel for help.
Relationships: Connie Maheswaran/Steven Universe, Spinel & Steven Universe
Series: 12 Days of Christmas 2019 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1570246
Kudos: 39





	Perfect Gift

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't decide which I wanted more: my SU Christmas fic to be about Spinel and Steven because I love Spinel and writing her, especially when she's interacting with Steven in a family way, or for it to be a Steven/Connie fic because I really like this ship. So I decided to just combine the two.
> 
> I was also planing on writing an extra Christmas SU fic about Lapis/Peridot if I had the time. But, while I probably have the time to, I doubt it'll happen, I've written *so* much Christmas stuff this year, I'm burnt out. I do hope to write for that ship eventually though, it's my fav ship for this fandom.

“Merry Christmas!” Spinel said, jumping up from the couch as Steven stepped into the living room.

“It’s only December 1st,” Steven replied with a chuckle.

“Yes, but that means its finally Christmas season!” She smiled wide, lifting her arms up into the air.

Steven couldn’t help but smile back, as always, her energy was infectious. “Yeah, I suppose it is. But uh… where are the other gems?” Spinel was the only one home as far as he could tell, though he’d just woken up so he could be missing someone.

“Amethyst went to get donuts and Pearl went to the barn to talk to Peridot about some invention they’re working on together. Garnet went with her. And you missed out on all this because you were sleeping.”

“Uh…” Steven glanced at the clock. It was less than an hour away from noon. “Whoops, I didn’t mean to sleep in that long. But um… anyway, speaking of Christmas I… haven’t finished my Christmas shopping yet.”

“Really? But I thought you went a couple weeks ago.”

“I did most of it. I got you and the other gems stuff and Dad and even Lion something but… I don’t know what to get for Connie.” And he’d been putting it off because he was nervous about it but time was closing in, he needed to get something for her soon.

“Why don’t you ask her?”

“That would ruin the surprise. And no, you can’t ask her either because she’ll know you’ll tell me and then the surprise is still ruined. _And_ it has to be a _good_ present so I can’t just get her any old thing.” After everything they’d been through together this year – most of it gem stuff and therefore something she’d been dragged into because she was his friend, by choice yes, but _still_ – he owed her a good present.

“You… really like her, don’t you?” Spinel sounded almost a little sad? She was giving him that same look she always gave him every time he grew up a little more. The one that said she was afraid of him outgrowing his need for her despite his promise that that would never happen. Which was a tad worrying because why would she feel like that now?

“She’s my friend so of course I like her,” was what Steven said though. Confronting her directly about it would only lead her deflecting.

Spinel’s full smile returned. How real was it though? “Yes, and I’m sure you’re going to get her a _great_ gift. Don’t stress about it.”

“Yeah, okay.” Steven nodded; optimism was good. “After I grab some breakfast or uh… I guess lunch, you want to head to the mall with me and help me find something for her?” He’d been planning to go alone but having someone else there to help keep an eye out for good gifts was probably a good idea. And it’d give him someone to talk to and bounce ideas off of.

“Sounds like a plan. I have nothing else to do today anyway.”

Beach City wasn’t large but there were still enough people in it to crowd its little shopping mall. It wasn’t nearly as bad it would be come closer to Christmas time but it was still far more crowded than it was at any other time of year.

“She likes books,” Spinel said as they passed by a bookstore.

“Yeah but… I don’t know what book to get her. The next book in her favourite series doesn’t come out until next year. And of all the other series I know she likes, she already has all of them. _And_ she told me that her parents always get her books every year. What if I accidentally get her one of the same books her parents are getting her?” Steven couldn’t think of a _worst_ gift if that happened to be the case. It was a bit unlikely though – but still very possible especially since this bookstore was the biggest one in the city, meaning it was probably where Connie’s parents would be doing _their_ book shopping – so… “But I guess if we can’t find anything better we can come back and get her a book.” It’d be better than nothing.

They passed by a few other stores with potential. A game store; Steven considered getting her a video game before remembering she didn’t have a console of her own, they always played on his. A store that supposedly sold swords among other various interesting items; Spinel pointed it out as a possibility before next pointing out that Connie already had a sword and it was it better than anything you could get in a store. Steven almost stepped into a _fashionable clothing_ store before remembering he didn’t know the first thing about fashion and Connie wasn’t into it either. There was the pet store too but a) adopting was far better and b) getting someone a pet as a surprise gift was irresponsible. Which left them with not many options.

Steven sighed as they finished the loop of the mall. Just like back when he’d gone shopping for everyone else when it came to Connie he was pulling a blank. There had to be _something_ he could get her that was special and that she would like but… _what_?

“Maybe… a stuffed animal?” Spinel suggested.

Steven turned his head to look at her. “You think she’d like one?”

“I don’t know.” Spinel shrugged. “But I do know that giant stuff animals are things people get for people that they _really_ care about. I remember that on the first Christmas Greg and Rose were dating, he got a her a _huge_ pink teddy bear. It was almost as big as him.” She sighed, her shoulders deflating as she looked off into space. “She loved it. I don’t know what she did with it though, probably put it somewhere special so she’d never lose it.”

Steven patted her on the shoulder. With how happy she normally was, seeing her sad was always jarring and felt wrong. “That actually sounds like a good idea.”

Find the right giant stuffed animal took a bit of work but when they found it, Steven knew the moment he lay eyes on it. It was so perfect it could’ve been made for her. It was a bit pricey even with the discount the toy shop owner gave him for ‘saving the city’ but it was worth it.

When they returned home, the other gems were back. But other than a quick ‘hello’, Steven and Spinel paid them no mind as they rushed up the stairs to wrap Connie’s gift. They didn’t have a box big enough for it so they had to wrap it as it was. Spinel’s stretchy arms came in handy when it came to manhandling the paper into place over the awkward shape. They put three layers over it to make sure the wrapping paper wouldn’t rip or tear on accident.

“I’m so proud of you,” Spinel said once they were done.

“Uh… thanks but why?”

“You’re growing up and it’s…” she put her hands on his shoulders, “… kinda scary. But that’s okay, I’m still happy for you. And I know things are gonna work out with Connie, you guys great together, basically made for each other. It’s great being able to see you guys grow together.”

Steven’s face was burning by the time she finished speaking. “Thanks, but me and Connie are just friends, we’re not… you know.”

Spinel raised her eyebrows. “If you say so,” she said in a tone that implied she didn’t believe him.

Steven quickly retreated before it could get any more embarrassing.

“It’s _huge_ ,” Connie said as Steven carried his present down the stairs.

“Yup,” Steven said as he put it at her feet, in front of the couch. It was just the two of them in the living room. Connie’s mother had made it _very_ clear she wanted Connie with her and the rest of the family _all_ day Christmas Day and Christmas Eve night which meant this gift exchange was happening midday Christmas Eve instead. All the Gems had cleared out to give them some privacy. Which was fine with Steven because Spinel’s suggestive comments about how he felt about Connie were maybe not too far off from the truth. “You want to go first, or shall I?”

“Uh…” Connie looked down at the present she’d brought in standard sized gift box and then back up at him. “You first,” she said holding it towards him. “Because it’s smaller.”

Whatever was in the box was light weight. He gave it a small shake, holding it up to his ear. But there was nothing to hear nor was there anything to feel. So, with nothing else to do, he ripped off the wrapping paper and opened the box.

Laughter bubbled up in and out of him as he pulled out the pink lion plush inside. It was honestly perfect, too perfect in fact.

“What’s funny?” Connie asked. “Do you like it? I couldn’t think of what to get you and then… I saw that and it looks a lot like Lion so I got it.”

“I love it,” Steven said truthfully as he hugged it to his chest.” But open your gift, you’ll see why I laughed.”

Connie gave him a speculative look before pulling his gift up onto her lap. It took her a couple seconds to get through the wrapping paper but when she did, she laughed too.

It was the same gift: a pink lion that looked just like Lion. The only difference was the size. The one Steven had gotten her was much bigger, nearing Lion’s actual size.

“I didn’t know they had bigger ones,” Connie said. “I totally would’ve gotten you one this big if I’d known they had them.”

“This was only big one there I saw.” Steven had seen a few smaller ones too but with the giant option available, he’d had to go with it. Meaning since they’d probably gone to the same store, Steven had gotten there first. So he _wasn’t_ the last person to finish their Christmas shopping among everyone he knew like he’d thought he’d been.

“It’s _perfect_ though,” Connie said as she hugged the stuffed lion’s head to her chest. “I’m going to name him Lion 2.0.”

“I’ll name mine Mini-Lion. We’ll have to show them to him, see if he responds.”

“If he does care he’s either gonna love them or hate them, my money’s on the former.”

“Eh, I don’t know, he can get pretty grumpy about things sometimes. But last I checked he was sleeping so we gotta wait on that. For now, you want to play some video games until your mom calls?” Steven had considered possibly talking to her about his feelings but… he wasn’t ready for that yet. Maybe he would be soon but not right now.

“Sure! Dibs on being player one.”


End file.
